Apparatus and method for dynamically configuring application component tiles

ABSTRACT

A server with a tile construction module has instructions executed by a processor to collect communication threads associated with a user. Tiles representative of the communication threads are dynamically configured in accordance with specified policies to form a tile configuration. The tile configuration is supplied to the user.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to mobile device applications operative in a networked environment. More particularly, this invention relates to dynamically configuring application component tiles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Mobile devices have limited display space. Many mobile device applications have a variety of changing content. Presenting such changing content to a user is a challenge.

In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide new techniques for dynamically configuring application content and supporting the manipulation of such content by a user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A server with a tile construction module has instructions executed by a processor to collect communication threads associated with a user. Tiles representative of the communication threads are dynamically configured in accordance with specified policies to form a tile configuration. The tile configuration is supplied to the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The invention is more fully appreciated in connection with the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an electronic device utilized in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a networked system utilized in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates processing operations associated with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates dynamically configured application component tiles supplied in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates an application component mode invoked from an application component tile.

FIG. 6 illustrates user manipulated application component tiles.

Like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an electronic device 100 utilized in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In one embodiment, the electronic device 100 is a Smartphone with a processor 102 in communication with a memory 104. The processor 102 may be a central processing unit and/or a graphics processing unit. The memory 104 is a combination of flash memory and random access memory. The memory 104 stores an application controller 106. The application controller 106 includes executable instructions to coordinate the display and manipulation of application component tiles. An application component is a discrete application mode or application object. For example, an application component may be an application setting component, an application mode, such as a text mode or a camera mode, while an application object may be data gathered by the application, such as a text conversation or a camera object (e.g., a photograph or video). A tile refers to some visual indication of an application component. The application controller 106 may include executable instructions for dynamic configuration and manipulation of application component tiles, which augments or replaces such processing that is described below in connection with a server based tile construction module.

The processor 102 is also coupled to image sensors 115. The image sensors 115 may be known digital image sensors, such as charge coupled devices. The image sensors capture visual media, which is presented on display 116, as coordinated by the application controller 106.

A touch controller 118 is connected to the display 116 and the processor 102. The touch controller 118 is responsive to haptic signals applied to the display 116. In one embodiment, the application controller 106 monitors signals from the touch controller 118 to coordinate invocation of application component tiles and the reconfiguration of application component tiles. The electronic device 100 may also include other components commonly associated with a Smartphone, such as a wireless signal processor 120 to support wireless communications, a power control circuit 122 and a global positioning system processor 124.

FIG. 2 illustrates a system 200 configured in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The system 200 includes a set of client devices 100_1 through 100_N. The client devices 100 are connected to a network 206, which is any combination of wireless and wired network communication devices. A server 204 is also connected to the network 206. The server 204 includes standard components, such as a central processing unit 210 and input/output devices 212 connected via a bus 214. The input/output devices 212 may include a keyboard, mouse, display and the like. A network interface circuit 216 is also connected to the bus 214 to provide connectivity to network 206. A memory 220 is also connected to the bus 214. The memory 220 includes modules with executable instructions, such as a tile construction module 222. The tile construction module 222 implements tile construction and manipulation operations, as discussed below.

FIG. 3 illustrates processing operations associated with an embodiment of the invention. The operations are performed by the tile construction module 222 of server 204 in combination with one or more client devices 100. Initially, an application is invoked 300 on a client device 100_1. For example, the tile construction module 222 may form a segment of a network executed application that coordinates taking photographs and appending messages to such photographs to form application objects for delivery from one user to another. In one embodiment, the application objects are transitory. That is, the application objects are automatically deleted after a specified viewing period. For example, a camera object (e.g., a photograph of video) may have a specified viewing period of five seconds, after which the camera object is automatically deleted. A text conversation thread may have a text entry that is automatically deleted after a specified viewing period. In one embodiment, a user may override the automatic deletion by applying a gesture to the text entry so that the text entry is preserved. It should be appreciated that for transitory application objects of this type a user's content rapidly changes. In particular, new objects are received, they are viewed and they are deleted.

Client 100_1 accesses the tile construction module 222 over network 206. The tile construction module 222 collects communication threads 302 for the user associated with the client device 100_1. The communication threads are application objects associated with the user. The communication threads or application objects may include camera objects (e.g., photographs or videos) and/or text objects (e.g., text threads) associated with the user.

The tile construction module 222 dynamically configures the tiles 304. The dynamic configuration may be informed by certain policies. Policies may specify such parameters as always include an application setting tile and at least one application modality tile. Activation of an application setting tile invokes a setting mode, which allows a user to configure various application settings. Activation of an application modality tile invokes an application modality, such as picture taking, video capture or text session. Another parameter may specify that at least a threshold minimum of conversation tiles be displayed. Another parameter may specify that at least a threshold minimum of camera tiles be presented (where a camera tile represents a digital photograph or a video session). A camera object may have associated text. A conversation tile refers to a text without associated camera content. Another parameter may specify a distribution of conversation tiles and camera tiles in proportion to the respective number of conversation tiles and camera tiles associated with the user.

After the tiles are dynamically configured, they are supplied to the user 306. The client device 100_1 displays the tiles 308, in coordination with the application controller 106. FIG. 4 illustrates the display of tiles on client device 100_1. The figure illustrates a settings tile 400, a front facing picture taking modality tile 402 and a back facing picture taking modality tile 404. FIG. 4 also illustrates a set of conversation tiles 406, including tiles C_1, C_2, C_3 and C_4. Individual tiles 406 may include notification indicia 408. The notification indicia may specify the last time the conversation was viewed, the number of new conversation entries (e.g., new text messages), and the like. Each conversation tile 406 is usually associated with a conversation thread between the user and one or more other users. FIG. 4 also illustrates a set of camera tiles 410, including tiles P_1, P_2, P_3 and P_4 (where “P” references a picture, which may be a photograph or video). Individual tiles 410 may include notification indicia 412.

Returning to FIG. 3, the next operation is to process tile commands 310. Tile commands may be processed locally by the application controller 106 and/or remotely by the tile construction module 222. For example, if the back facing picture taking modality tile 404 is invoked through a gesture applied to the display of the client device 100_1, then the application controller 106 may locally invoke this mode, as shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 5 includes indicia 500 of the back facing picture taking mode. The figure also illustrates a button 500, which may be used to take a camera object (i.e., either a photograph or a video). A specified gesture to the display of FIG. 5 may return the user to the tile display mode. For example, a pinch gesture applied to the screen may return the user to the configuration of FIG. 4.

Other tile processing commands may be coordinated between the application controller 106 and the tile construction module 222. For example, the user may swipe the screen to obtain additional tiles stored by the tile construction module 222. Thus, the tile construction module updates the tile configuration, if necessary 312. The updates may include the collection of communication threads, the dynamic configuration of tiles and the supply of tiles, as was the case when the tiles were initially supplied to the client 100_1.

FIG. 6 illustrates that the tiles may be configured in any random manner. In FIG. 6, the camera tiles 408 have been placed in a row above a matrix of conversation tiles 406. Individual tiles are moved through haptic engagement and movement of a tile across the screen.

Returning to FIG. 3, a user may send a communication 314. For example, an application modality tile may be invoked to create a text message and/or a camera object (photograph or video). The application mode may utilize various means to specify a communication recipient or recipients. Once recipients are specified, the communication is sent 314. The server 204 routes the communication 316. It may then be displayed 318 on another client device 100_2. Client device 100_2 displays dynamically configured application component tiles, such as shown in FIG. 4.

Advantageously, the disclosed techniques provide an efficient way for navigating an application running on a mobile device with limited screen space. Particularly in the context of a social media application that may involve numerous communication threads, the disclosed technique allows a user to reduce the time spent navigating an application by providing the user with a view of the application that allows selection of a new destination.

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a computer storage product with a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer code thereon for performing various computer-implemented operations. The media and computer code may be those specially designed and constructed for the purposes of the present invention, or they may be of the kind well known and available to those having skill in the computer software arts. Examples of computer-readable media include, but are not limited to: magnetic media, optical media, magneto-optical media and hardware devices that are specially configured to store and execute program code, such as application-specific integrated circuits (“ASICs”), programmable logic devices (“PLDs”) and ROM and RAM devices. Examples of computer code include machine code, such as produced by a compiler, and files containing higher-level code that are executed by a computer using an interpreter. For example, an embodiment of the invention may be implemented using JAVA®, C++, or other object-oriented programming language and development tools. Another embodiment of the invention may be implemented in hardwired circuitry in place of, or in combination with, machine-executable software instructions.

The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that specific details are not required in order to practice the invention. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the invention are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed; obviously, many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, they thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the following claims and their equivalents define the scope of the invention. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A server, comprising: a tile construction module with instructions executed by a processor to: collect communication threads associated with a user, wherein the communication threads form a social media application comprising conversation tiles and camera tiles that are automatically deleted after a specified viewing period unless a user overrides automatic deletion by applying a gesture to a text entry so that the text entry is preserved; dynamically configure the conversation tiles and the camera tiles in accordance with specified policies to form a tile configuration, wherein the specified policies include a parameter to specify a distribution of conversation tiles and camera tiles in proportion to the respective number of conversation tiles and camera tiles associated with the user; and supply the tile configuration to a mobile device associated with the user.
 2. The server of claim 1 wherein the specified policies include a parameter to include an application setting tile.
 3. The server of claim 1 wherein the specified policies include a parameter to include at least one application modality tile.
 4. The server of claim 1 further comprising instructions executed by the processor to coordinate manipulation of the tile configuration with an application controller on a client device.
 5. The server of claim 4 wherein the application controller monitors signals from a touch controller to coordinate invocation of application component tiles.
 6. The server of claim 5 wherein the touch controller is responsive to haptic signals applied to a display.
 7. The server of claim 4 wherein the application controller monitors signals from a touch controller to coordinate reconfiguration of application component tiles.
 8. The server of claim 4 wherein the application controller processes tile commands.
 9. The server of claim 1 wherein the tile configuration includes notification indicia.
 10. The server of claim 1 wherein the conversation tiles are text threads.
 11. The server of claim 1 wherein the camera tiles are photographs.
 12. The server of claim 1 wherein the camera tiles are videos.
 13. The server of claim 1 wherein the tile construction module processes tile commands.
 14. The server of claim 1 wherein the tile construction module updates a tile configuration in response to a screen swipe. 